Apparatus for treating synthetic turf

ABSTRACT

Apparatus is provided for rejuvenating artificial turf surfaces in which the pile lay has become unacceptable. Briefly, the apparatus comprises means to spray liquid on the surface followed by a moving belt, which contacts the surface and moves in a direction opposite the pile lay and which is heated to a temperature at least as high as the boiling point of the liquid. The belt is followed by rotatable brushes which buff the turf surface. As an additional feature, if the surface requires cleaning, the liquid employed is a detergent solution and an additional set of brushes are provided between applications of detergent and the belt. The machine is passed over the surface manually by having an operator push it in the desired direction, or it may be power driven.

O United States Patent [151 3,644,954 LeGrand 1 Feb. 29, 1972 [54] APPARATUS FOR TREATING SYNTHETIC TURF Primary Examiner-Edward L. Roberts Attorney-Russell E. Weinkauf, John D. Upham and Neal E. [72] Inventor: Richard D. LeGrand, Cary, N.C. Willis [73] Assignee: Monsanto Company, St. Louis, Mo. ABSTRACT [22] Filed: Sept. 24, 1970 Apparatus 15 provided for rejuvenating artificial turf surfaces PP 75,052 in which the pile lay has become unacceptable. Briefly, the apparatus comprises means to spray liquid on the surface followed by a moving belt, which contacts the surface and moves [52] U.S.Cl. ..15/50 C, l5/46,81/5l/;Sl; in a direction pp the p y and which is heated to a 51] Int Cl A47] "/18 temperature at least as high as the boiling point of the liquid. [58] Fieid 51 52 98 The belt is followed by rotatable brushes which buff the turf I302 4 1, surface. As an additional feature, if the surface requires cleaning, the liquid employed is a detergent solution and an additional set of brushes are provided between applications of de- [56] References Cited tergent and the belt. The machine is passed over the surface UNTTED STATES PATENTS manually by having an operator push it in the desired direction, or it may be power driven. 1,954,314 4/1934 Heitman ..15/51 3,402,420 9/1968 Schaeffer ..15/320 8 Claims, 2 Drawing Figures APPARATUS FOR TREATING SYNTHETIC TUR Recently, synthetic turfs or grass have come into widespread commercial use for athletic events such as football, baseball, golf, tennis, track and field, etc. The construction of these synthetic turfs employed for such heavy-duty use is in a form similar to that of a carpet, that is, the turfs have an upstanding pile which simulates or attempts to simulate, natural grass. In some cases, it has been found that after many months of repeated use of certain synthetic turf surfaces, the pile lay becomes unidirectional, that is, the pile all tends to lay down in one direction. This is, of course, objectionable for several reasons. In the first place, such unidirectional pile lay removes the natural grass appearance from the synthetic turf. Secondly, the matting down of the pile results in a loss of resiliency of the synthetic turf and consequently the synthetic turf does not respond to the athletes or the objects used in the athletic events in a manner similar to that of natural turf. Attempts have been made to restore the pile lay of such synthetic turfs which have attained a unidirectional pile lay after many events in which the majority of traffic is unidirectional but to date, these attempts have not proved satisfactory.

Accordingly, it is an object of this invention to provide an apparatus for restoring the pile lay of synthetic turf to its original upstanding state.

It is a further object of this invention to provide apparatus that simultaneously restores the synthetic turf pile lay to its proper form and cleans the turf if such cleaning is needed.

Briefly, in accordance with this invention, there is provided an apparatus for improving the pile lay of synthetic turf surfaces which comprises a movable unit. This movable unit has in sequence, means to spray a liquid onto the turf surface, a first buffing means for contacting the turf and adapted to rotate in the direction opposite the pile lay of the synthetic turf, means to heat the first buffing means to a temperature at least as high as the boiling point of the liquid sprayed on the turf and a second bufiing means for contacting said turf.

The invention will be more completely understood with reference to the accompanying drawings wherein FIG. 1 is a side cross section view of the apparatus of this invention used for restoring the pile lay of a synthetic turf in which the pile has become unidirectional in its pile lay.

FIG. 2 is also a side cross section view of the apparatus of this invention and which may be used when the synthetic turf requires cleaning simultaneously with the improvement in the pile lay.

In FIG. 1, the synthetic turf treating machine is shown in relationship with a synthetic turf 20 having a partially matteddown pile 11. The machine 10 comprises the machine frame 12 which may conveniently have means (not shown) for an operator to push the machine across the surface, for example, handles. Within the machine frame 12 are rolls 13 which are mounted for rotation by means of shaft 14 which are connected to a power source (not shown). The rollers 13 mount an endless belt 15 which engages the pile 11 to impart a buffing motion thereto in a direction opposite of the pile lay 11. Directly above the belt 15, which preferably is a foraminous metal belt, in a fixed relation to the machine frame 12 are a plurality of heating means 17, preferably radiant heat lamps, which radiate heat to and through the belt 15 to the pile 11 whereby the belt and pile are elevated in temperature. The heating means 17 must be capable of producing temperatures at least as high as the boiling point of the liquid being sprayed onto the synthetic turf and preferably higher than the boiling point of said liquid. When the liquid being sprayed onto the synthetic turf is water, it has been found that temperatures of the air adjacent to the pile should be in the range of 225 to 280 C. for the best results in restoring the pile to its upright state. These high temperatures are necessary in view of the short period of time in which the heated belt is in contact with the turf.

Affixed in front of the machine 12 is a liquid reservoir containing a volatile liquid 19, e.g., water. The liquid 19 is gravity fed to pump 21 by means of pipe 22 and the pressurized liquid is then ejected as a fine spray by means of a nozzle 23. It

should be understood that a plurality of nozzles could also be used if so desired. As the liquid is sprayed onto the mattedclown pile 11, the machine passes over that portion of the pile and the pile is then contacted by belt 15 which is rotating in a direction opposite to the pile lay. Behind belt 15 are additional buffing means, generally in the form of brushes 24 rotated on shafts 25 which are driven by power means (not shown). Ordinarily, shafts 14 and 25 will be driven by a common driving means, for example, an electric motor. More or fewer brushes in this area of the machine may be used according to the desired result. Although the drawing shows brushes 24 rotatable in the same direction as belt 15, they are adapted to rotate in either direction. Thus, if belt 15 makes the pile lay over somewhat in a direction opposite its original undesired lay,

' these later buffing means can rotate in a direction opposite to the moving belt direction.

Thus, with a single pass of the machine a liquid is sprayed onto the partially matted down synthetic turf. The turf is then buffed and heated simultaneously which acts to restore the turf to its upright position and removes the liquid by evaporation and the pile is then again buffed to restore it to its original upright position. The direction of the motion of the machine during use is indicated by arrow 26 which is shown to be opposite in direction to the lay of the pile 11. However, the machine motion can be in the direction of pile lay as long as the belt direction is opposite the lay direction.

In FIG. 2 wherein like numbers indicate like parts, there is depicted an apparatus embodying the additional step of cleaning the synthetic turf while the pile lay is being restored to its original position. In FIG. 2, 31 is a liquid reservoir which is generally larger than a liquid reservoir used in the apparatus depicted in FIG. 1 inasmuch as the apparatus of FIG. 2 has a reservoir which contains a liquid detergent solution 32. The detergent solution is generally heated by heater 33. Then, as in FIG. 1, the liquid solution passes through pipe 22 into pump 21 and the flow of the detergent solution is regulated by valve 35 into nozzle 23.

Since generally more liquid is required when the cleaning operation is performed, there is provided additional buffing means 28, again generally in the form of brushes, driven by shafts 29 connected to a power means (not shown) which would generally be the common power means driving shafts 25 and 14.

The volatizable liquid employed in the apparatus of this invention is preferably water although, in some cases, plasticizing agents may be added to the pile for treatment thereof. In FIG. 1, the liquid may also be heated by an auxiliary heater although means for accomplishing this is not shown. The apparatus is conveniently hand propelled and derives its power for rotating the belt and brushes from an electric source, e.g., a battery or other electric power source. However, it is well contemplated to provide a self-contained machine with gasoline-propelled generator incorporating self-propulsion. While the drawing does not show the height relationship between the apparatus and the pile surface as adjustable, it can easily be so made and the degree of porosity of the foraminous belt may be varied and of course there may be a greater or lesser number of brushes engaging the pile.

What is claimed is:

1. Apparatus for improving the pile lay of synthetic turf surfaces which comprises a movable unit having in sequence:

a. means to spray a liquid onto the synthetic turf surface to wet said turf;

b. first buffing means for contacting said turf and adapted to rotate in a direction opposite the pile lay of said wet synthetic turf;

c. heating means to heat said first buffing means to a temperature above the boiling point of said liquid; and

d. second buffing means for contacting said turf.

2. The apparatus of claim 1 wherein said first buffing means comprises a movable belt.

3. The apparatus of claim I wherein said first buffing means is a movable foraminous metal belt.

4. The apparatus of claim 1 wherein said heating means comprises means to radiantly heat said first buffing means.

5. The apparatus of claim 1 wherein said second buffing means comprises rotatable brushes.

6. Apparatus for improving the pile lay of synthetic turf surfaces which comprises a movable unit having in sequence:

a. means to spray a liquid onto the surface to wet said surface;

b. a foraminous metal belt movable in a direction opposite the pile lay of said wet synthetic turf surface and adapted to contact said surface;

c. heating means adapted to heat said belt to a temperature above the boiling point of said liquid; and

d. at least one rotatable brush adapted to contact said surface.

7. Apparatus for cleaning and improving the pile lay of synthetic turf surfaces which comprises a movable unit having in sequence:

a. means to spray a liquid detergent onto said synthetic turf; b. first brushing means comprising at least one brush for contacting said turf and rotatable in a direction opposite the pile lay of said turf. c. a movable belt for contacting said turf adapted to rotate in the same direction as said first brushing means; d. heating means adapted to heat said belt to a temperature above the boiling point of said liquid detergent; and e. second brushing means comprising at least one rotating brush for buffing said turf. 8. The apparatus of claim 7 wherein said belt is a foraminous metal belt. 

1. Apparatus for improving the pile lay of synthetic turf surfaces which comprises a movable unit having in sequence: a. means to spray a liquid onto the synthetic turf surface to wet said turf; b. first buffing means for contacting said turf and adapted to rotate in a direction opposite the pile lay of said wet synthetic turf; c. heating means to heat said first buffing means to a temperature above the boiling point of said liquid; and d. second buffing means for contacting said turf.
 2. The apparatus of claim 1 wherein said first buffing means comprises a movable belt.
 3. The apparatus of claim 1 wherein said first buffing means is a movable foraminous metal belt.
 4. The apparatus of claim 1 wherein said heating means comprises means to radiantly heat said first buffing means.
 5. The apparatus of claim 1 wherein said second buffing means comprises rotatable brushes.
 6. Apparatus for improving the pile lay of synthetic turf surfaces which comprises a movable unit having in sequence: a. means to spray a liquid onto the surface to wet said surface; b. a foraminous metal belt movable in a direction opposite the pile lay of said wet synthetic turf surface and adapted to contact said surface; c. heating means adapted to heat said belt to a temperature above the boiling point of said liquid; and d. at least one rotatable brush adapted to contact said surface.
 7. Apparatus for cleaning and improving the pile lay of synthetic turf surfaces which comprises a movable unit having in sequence: a. means to spray a liquid detergent onto said synthetic turf; b. first brushing means comprising at least one brush for contacting said turf and rotatable in a direction opposite the pile lay of said turf. c. a movable belt for contacting said turf adapted to rotate in the same direction as said first brushing means; d. heating means adapted to heat said belt to a temperature above the boiling point of said liquid detergent; and e. second brushing means comprising at least one rotating brush for buffing said turf.
 8. The apparatus of claim 7 wherein said belt is a foraminous metal belt. 